


Learning You Inside Out

by ThatBohoFemme



Series: I Believe in a Thing Called Love [8]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Bad Moods, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Embarrassment, Episode Tag, F/M, Fixer upper homes, Late Night Conversations, Post-RAW 3/12, Sleepovers, moving forward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-03-31 15:46:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13978341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBohoFemme/pseuds/ThatBohoFemme
Summary: Elias was in a bad mood.Bayley was in a bad mood.The next thing only made sense."Come home with me?" he blurted out, not even pausing to consider the words he spoke. They'd only been dating for a month but this invitation feltright.





	1. Day 1

Elias hobbled around the back, trying to find a spot to hide. His neck throbbed in an annoying rhythm of pain. He could hardly move, his body not happy with the motion. 

The arena was the _last_ place he wanted to be. 

He bit back a howl of pain as he tried to ease himself into a chair. 

"Easy!" Bayley hissed, appearing out of nowhere. She wrapped an arm around his back, helping him to sit. "Be _gentle_ to yourself." 

"Where the hell did you come from?" he asked, staring back at her. She reached out, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. 

"I followed you. You looked like you needed someone." She squatted next to him. "It's _not_ like you to turn down an audience." She sighed. "You okay?" 

"Not feeling it tonight. I mean- they keep encouraging him to hurt me. _How much am I expected to take?_ " He reached out, stroking her hair. 

"Didn't say you were wrong," Bayley said, leaning into his touch. "I worry about you." 

"You don't need to, Sweet Girl," he said, continuing to scritch her head. The _last_ thing he wanted was to cause her anymore heartache. 

"Still going to." She shrugged. 

"Why do you look so sad?" he asked, noticing her drawn face and sad eyes for the first time. 

"Got Sasha on the brain," she admitted, sitting on the ground beside his foot and leaning against his shin. 

"Why?" Elias asked, focusing only on her. He figured he would feel like crap no matter what he tried so it only made sense to make her his sole focus. 

"It'd be nice to have a friend," she said, chewing on her lip. "Like a _real_ friend?" 

"What am I? Chopped Liver?" he teased. 

Bayley gave him a sad smile.

"No, I have you but I can't exactly _gush_ about you to you. _Pretty sure_ that's awkward." 

He understood where she came from but that didn't mean he _liked_ watching her feel like crap. 

"Cheer up, Bay. I'm sure it will work itself out." He inhaled and exhaled, squeezing her shoulder. Then, he reached down, rubbing her back in an approximation of soothing circles. 

_Or find some new friends._ he added mentally.   
\---  
Bayley's bad mood continued throughout the night. She managed to keep him up all night tossing and turning, unable to decide on the best way to sleep.

She felt a need to cling. Then again, she didn't want to _seem_ that way so she would pull back. Every time Elias nodded off with her next to him, she decided they needed to touch so she would cuddle close. It woke him, which would upset her. Then, the cycle would begin again. 

It was vicious. 

By the time the sun rose, Elia could feel himself on the verge of losing his temper. Patience wasn't a virtue he came by on his own and the evening had been... _rough_. 

_Stay patient. You know she doesn't mean it. It can't be rainbows and puppies all the time._

"I'm sorry," Bayley murmured, leaning up on one elbow to stare at him. "I know I'm a pain. Thanks for being there. Think you're amazing." 

Without warning, all his annoyance dissipated. Not only did she manage to break down his walls. it would also appear Elias would do anything to make her happy. 

"It's okay," he whispered, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her temple. "You be as needy as you need." 

Out of nowhere, a brilliant idea struck. 

"Come home with me?" he blurted out, not even pausing to consider the words he spoke. They'd only been dating for a month but this invitation felt _right_. 

"Serious?" Bayley asked, cocking her head. 

"Yeah. I promised to introduce you to Serenity. What better time? Your call though." Elias took in a sharp breath, as anxiety began to peck at his stomach. 

The last thing he wanted was to scare her off. 

After a few moments of silence, he licked his dry lips and began to speak. "Do you want to?" 

"Are you sure?" she asked, seeming taken aback. "For real?" 

"Yes." Elias nodded to emphasize his point. He needed her to realize he meant every word. 

"I'll change my flight," she declared, her grin growing wider and wider. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a facsimile of a hug. 

Elias gave her an uneasy smile. 

What had he gotten himself into?   
\---  
If he'd thought about it for more than two seconds, he wouldn't have invited her over on a whim. He didn't have a lot of visitors for good reason. 

His house embarrassed him. 

The manufactured home with the chipped sky blue paint came at a good price for a few reasons. For one thing, the owner had to move to Michigan _right away_. Second of all, it was a fixer upper. The seller was so motivated that the space even came _furnished_. 

When it was only him, it was fine. He drifted a lot, was rarely home and the neighborhood was decent. He wasn't big on entertaining, so he didn't have to worry about judgment for the shabby space. 

Now, he feared it was no place to bring one's potential future wife.

"I want to warn you now." Driving towards home, his throat grew dry and scratchy but he soldiered on. "Don't think I live like a bum. My house is _special_." 

"Define special?" Bayley cleared her throat before giving an anxious laugh. "We're not talking condemned, right?" She blinked. "Not that it matters but..." Her voice trailed off. 

"No, not condemned." He coughed, deciding to spit it out. "It's a fixer upper so it's rough. Liveable but rough. Also, I bought the furniture with the house so...yeah." He averted his gaze. 

"You're ridiculous," she said,giving his thigh a gentle squeeze. "That is _such_ a guy thing." 

"What is?" he asked, making the turn into his driveway. 

"Buying your furniture with the house? Have some pride!" 

"I'm glad you have so much time to decorate," he admonished, leaving the car. He moved to her side, opening the door before continuing. "Welcome to my home sweet home." He gestured to the building. 

He stood in silence, feeling the burn of her stare as she took it all in. 

What if his house scared her off? Would that spell disaster for any future they might have? 

"I _love_ it!" she squealed, wrapping an arm around his middle. 

"You do?" His voice quaked as she tightened her grasp. 

"Yeah! It's not a place I'd pick but it's important to you! Thus, I love it!" 

He wanted nothing more than to look down at her. Unfortunately, he still had limited motion in his neck, a fact he cursed. 

"It's _minimal_ ," he warned, pulling her by the hand. 

Minimal was the light way to put it. _Total shithole_ was a better description but he didn't know how she'd take that one. 

"You live in a prefab home with bachelor furniture. That's not minimal. That's...something else." She gave him a sharp poke. "You can be honest." 

"It's a shithole." Elias knew he had nothing to lose. Best to be honest. ""I mean..." He paused, now finding himself at a loss for words. There had to be a good way to explain this. "The half bath is in the shed." 

"What?" Bayley stopped dead, turning to stare incredulous at him.  
"Repeat that." 

"There's a toilet in the shed, next to the washer." Elias shrugged, as if to say 'don't judge- it came with the house.' 

"For real? An actual toilet?" Bayley looked up, her face calm and thoughtful. "Does it work?" 

"Yes, a real toilet. To be fair, I don't know if it works. Never had any desire to try it." He fumbled with the lock, trying to turn the key. After a second, the door opened with a little help from his hip. "Ladies first."

She stood in the doorway, quiet. She exhaled and inhaled several times, taking everything in. "It's... _cute_." 

"It is?" Elias asked, allowing a surprised tinge to come through. "I mean- yes, it's cute. I agree." He knew he didn't sound convincing but she was polite enough not to comment. 

In the year he'd lived there, there were a lot of words used to describe the space. _Cute_ had never been one of them. 

"I mean- it could use a good cleaning." Bayley gestured around with a broad sweep. "Nothing I can't handle." 

Elias grimaced, looking horrified. His somewhat-girlfriend offering to clean his house? He couldn't let her do that. 

"You don't have to do that," he said. He gestured for her to sit on the battered army green sofa. "If I'd realized you were coming, I would have cleaned." His face grew warm, as he flushed in embarrassment. 

"Let me." Bayley pointed to herself. "Help you." She pointed to him as she settled on the couch. Finally, she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "You're my boyfriend. It's my job to help you." 

Boyfriend? Had she _actually_ said that? Did that make her his girlfriend? What did it all mean? 

"Fine. I'll let you help me." He knew he needed to push the conversation about what they were but they had three days together. 

There was _plenty_ of time for conversation.   
\---  
"I want to redecorate your bedroom. May I?" 

Elias glanced up warily. He _should_ find that statement odd, and yet, he doesn't. 

Love did strange things to a guy. 

"Why?" he asked, reaching behind to adjust the pillows propping him up. "I mean- yeah, you can. Why?" 

"Because I'm _pretty sure_ the bedding came with the house?" she teased, slipping into a tank top and a pair of blue silk boxers she'd stolen from him. "I'm going to brush my teeth. Be right back." 

Elias shook his head as much as he was able to, given the state of his neck. There was _something_ about her. He couldn't explain it, nor did he know what it was. All he knew was until Bayley, no woman had managed to flip his world around.

"You have that look again," Bayley commented, padding back into the room. 

" _What_ look?" he asked, choosing to keep calm and play stupid. 

"The look that says _I am the luckiest guy in the world._ " She pulled the covers back and slid in next to him. 

"Could be that I am." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. 

"Think so?" she murmured through pursed lips. Her gaze softened and her touches became feather-light. 

"Yes, I do. I have you. That alone makes me lucky. Won't even get into the other stuff." He knew he sounded _cheesy_ but he didn't mind. 

By the weird cooing noise she made, he didn't think she minded either. 

"Love you," she said, pressing her head against his chest. 

"Love you too," he said, managing to kiss her forehead.


	2. Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans on their 2nd day together. 
> 
> Furniture. Wine. Guitars. 
> 
> What more could they want?

Elias awoke early the next morning to find himself alone. Scrubbing the sleep from his eyes, he groped next to him, coming up with a handful of empty bedclothes. 

_Where is she?_ he thought, easing to a seated position. _She’s got to be around here somewhere._ He sniffed, realizing the air was thick with the scent of pancakes. _Need to figure out how to get her to quit taking care of me._

He smirked, remembering the previous day. They’d spent the entire afternoon on the couch, doing nothing. They’d enjoyed each other-Cuddling, gentle touches, light kisses. Then, it was Italian take-out, followed by more cuddling. It had been perfect- no better way to spend the afternoon. 

The appetizing smell of pancakes made his stomach tighten and growl. He swallowed, his mouth flooding with saliva. 

“Bay, I don’t expect this.” He shook his head, forcing himself to his feet. 

He wasn’t used to someone taking care of him. It didn’t _bother_ him but he also didn’t want her thinking she needed to do anything for him.

“Hey, Sleepyhead.” Bayley stopped, leaning against the doorframe. “Come on. Breakfast’s ready.” He stared, taking in her outfit. 

She wore an old floral apron, a pair of too big cut off sweatpants and what looked like one of his Johnny Cash shirts. 

“Those mine?” he mumbled, pulling his frizzy hair into a loose bun on the top of his head. 

“I didn’t pack enough so I threw a load of laundry in but I _needed_ something to wear in the meantime. I found some old clothes of yours- hope you don’t mind. You weren’t kidding about the toilet. Oh and if you were curious? It works.” She laughed. “I didn’t use it. I flushed it because I wondered.” She rested her hand on her hip. “You don’t mind, right?” 

“Not in the slightest. They look _much_ better on you than they ever did on me.” He took a few careful steps, wincing as his back seized. 

Bayley wandered over, offering him her hand. He accepted it, resisting the urge to scream out as his muscles seized up. “Easy, Eli. We’ll get some breakfast and you can take one of those pain pills the hospital gave you.” 

“You called me _Eli_.” He stared at her with admiration as she led him towards the kitchen. 

“So?” Bayley mumbled, setting him down at the dining table. “I find it _cute_.” She kissed his cheek, untying her apron. “This is mine. Never know when it might come in handy." She deposited it onto the back moulding of a chair. 

Elias nibbled on his lower lip, taking the chance to appreciate the outfit. It _should_ have looked ridiculous, considering everything was three sizes too big. It didn’t look strange, everything fit in all the right places. 

“Pancakes- blueberry protein and bacon. Took your car out- you’re out of groceries.” 

_Well, you’re just making yourself RIGHT at home._ he thought. _Not that it’s a problem. I’m surprised._

“I don’t cook much- sorry.” He stared away, embarrassed by the way he lived. 

“You’re cute when you blush.” Bayley set the plate of food in front of him. “By the way, I have a habit of making myself too comfortable way too fast. Let me know if I get on your nerves.” 

Elias _knew_ he could ask her to chill, and while it seemed tempting to say something, he also didn’t want to squash her fun. 

He also _liked_ having her there. In many ways, she made his house a home. 

“How is it?” she asked, watching him attack the plate with vigor. 

“Best thing I’ve had in ages. Thank you.” He went to stand, finding himself in need of a glass of orange juice. Before he could even rise, she had it in front of him. “Bay, relax. I appreciate it but relax.” 

She let out a nervous giggle. “Sorry, don’t mean to be a mother hen. I do it when I’m nervous.” She set her plate down, staring at him. “Thanks for having me here.” 

Elias nodded, taking a sip of cold juice. He watched her sit and begin to eat. “I’ve enjoyed having you here.” 

“Of course. Sorry again for the mom thing.” She flashed a weak smile in his general direction.

Elias couldn’t ignore how sad she looked. “Hey, I’m not mad. You don’t need to apologize, but relax. I’m nervous. You’re nervous.” 

“Can do,” she said, her smile genuine. “Dishes- I wash, you dry?” 

Elias nodded, mopping the plate with a piece of bacon.   
———  
Against his better judgment, Elias allowed Bayley to drag him to Ikea. 

“Why are we visiting the land of cheap plastic crap?” he asked, trailing a few steps behind her. He _hated_ shopping, even with Bayley. He’d much rather be home with her. 

“You need a bed!” she declared, turning on her heel. “Your entire bedroom is _wicker_. No wicker ever. Friends don’t let friends have wicker furniture.” 

He found himself at a loss for words. It was evident Bayley had him whipped. He knew it should bother him and yet, it doesn’t. 

It was almost _nice_ to have someone taking care of you. 

“What are you thinking?” he asked, feigning interest in the rows and rows of cheap furniture displays. 

“What are _you_ thinking?” she retorted. “It’s your house.” 

“I think _my girlfriend_ asked to decorate my bedroom, which means I pay and _you pick_.” He wrapped an arm around her, laughing as she squealed. 

“I _need_ the wicker gone. _My boyfriend_ is _not_ an old person.” She pressed a finger to her lips as she contemplated the different bed frames. “This one.” She jabbed her finger in the direction of one made of gray suede. Then, she mumbled what Elias _assumed_ was the furniture model name. 

He didn’t know what she said, what with not speaking Swedish. 

If nothing else, he liked the pretty way it made her lips move.   
———  
“Happy now?” Elias huffed, staring at the room. Most of the wicker was gone. They'd replaced it with the brand-new furniture they’d spent the afternoon assembling. 

With that in mind, he declared DIY furniture assembly to be the work of the devil. A bottle of clearance Pinot Grigio and an assortment of snacks made the afternoon better but not _great_. 

“ _Much_ better,” she declared. “Now it looks like an adult lives here and not some strange old woman.” She hiccuped, covering her mouth with her hand. 

“We need more ‘wine and furniture’ afternoons.” Elias sighed, experimenting with his range of motion. His neck twinged but it was getting better. 

“I don’t know. Wine makes me _touchy_.” She plopped down on the bed. “Join me?” 

Elias sat next to her, realizing she’d been right along. The space looked _much_ better with proper furniture. 

“Why don’t we christen the space?” she asked, caressing his cheek. She craned her neck up to plant a firm kiss on him. 

Her lips were soft, and he savored the faint taste of the wine she’d been drinking. He closed his eyes, choosing to melt into the moment. 

Her fingertips grazed the sides of his shirt as the kiss deepened. She yanked with frenetic movement, doing her best to pull it up. He opened his eyes, choosing to help her. 

“I seem to have lost my shirt,” he commented, her breath hot on his chest. She scraped her teeth against his pec, giggling when the sensation caused him to jump. “Easy. I don’t want to lie to Carrano on how I got chest hickies.”

This caused her to pull away with a loud giggle-snort. 

“Play for me?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him. 

“Let me get Serenity.” He nodded in the direction of the pillows, Bayley taking the clue to scamper to her side. 

He rose, walking towards the spare bedroom. He squatted next to the twin bed, groping underneath. Finding the case, he pulled it out, unsnapped the case and removed the guitar. 

‘Serenity’ was a 1964 Gibson Hummingbird, named for the bird engraved on its pickguard. Her material was a dark red rosewood, a model Gibson called Cherry Burst. 

“You and I get to entertain someone very special.” He spoke, strumming to check for tuning. “Perfect. Come on, Serenity.”

He came back to find Bayley struggling to stay awake. Her head dropped, her eyes heavy with sleep. Then, she jerked up. 

“You came back,” she said, stifling a yawn. 

“I have, tired girl.” Elias stretched out next to her, grinning as she snuggled against him. “Had to get Serenity.” He managed to get the guitar around her, as she wrapped an arm around his middle, now half asleep. 

He began to play, the chords rich. The tune flowed out, managing to lose himself in the music. After a second, he began to sing. 

_Like a river flows_  
Surely to the Sea  
Darling, so it goes  
Some things are meant to be 

He continued playing, knowing the music lulled her to sleep. 

_Take my hand_  
Take my whole life too  
For I can’t help falling in love with you 

He set the guitar aside, doing his best not to jar her. She let out a soft snore, now lost to the throes of sleep. Reaching over, he pulled a sea foam green duvet over them. 

Pressing a kiss to her temple, he settled her, moving her with him. She curled against him, her head on his chest, as she made herself more comfortable. He couldn't resist leaning over, his lips brushing against her ear, and whispering.

_I love you._


	3. Day 4 & 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discussions of Madison Square Garden where Bayley swears Ala Shakespeare. Cuddles. Elias gets sent out on a task where he's clueless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does go into a LITTLE bit about periods and tampons but nothing graphic.

"If I _ever_ see that festering plague sore, it's on." Bayley ranted, the bag of ice planted on her jaw. "Slapping my man- who does she think she is?"

Elias watched, choosing to keep quiet. Bayley was _pissed_ and it only made sense to give her space.

"I'm fine, Bay." He followed her with his eyes, willing her to calm down.

"Oh and _Sonya_ \- taking your head off- also dead. Embossed carbuncle."

"Bay! It was an accident!" Elias couldn't believe he defended Sonya, but she didn't need an irate Bayley at her throat. "Also- _festering plague sore, embossed carbuncle_? Are you okay?"

"Cursing ala Shakespeare. I _try_ to be pleasant." Bayley turned, setting the ice down. "Also- 619? My jaw hurts."

When she passed him, he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her into his lap. She turned her head, facing him to question.

He leaned in, brushing his lips against her jaw. "Better?"

"Much." Her gaze softened as she ran her fingers through his beard.

"Sorry our match didn't go as planned. I would have _much_ rather been out there with you." He tightened his grip as she pressed her back against his chest.

"It's okay. Next time." She exhaled and inhaled. "Back to the grind?"

"Unfortunately." Elias _liked_ his job. What he _didn't_ like was the need to sneak around.

Everything was still so new. Still in the phase of figuring it out, they decided to keep the nature of things between them. He knew it was for the greater good but that didn't mean he liked it.

New love needed celebration. It wasn't meant to hide in a mess of stolen kisses, pretending not to care. It wasn't meant for sharing veiled looks and resisting the urge to scream from the rooftops.

For the first time in his life, he actually _wanted_ to scream out to the world _I'm in love_ and he couldn't.

It was enough to make the sanest man crazy.

This agreement played a _huge_ part in the last minute match change.

_They asked me if I'd be okay switching matches._

_Huh?_

_They want to highlight every women. They want to turn Sasha's match into a triple threat and have Sonya be your partner._

_And you said no, right?_

_Promise you won't be mad?_

_What?_

_I agreed. It...well, we agreed to keep our relationship a secret. Doing this made sense!_

_Oh, Bay!_

"Ready for Tulsa?" Bayley asked, turning to straddle him. She rested her head on his shoulder, draping her arms around his neck. "It's not a bad city. It's also not my favorite."

"Eh, I can take it or leave it. Not bad. Not great." He reached up, running his fingers through her hair.

"I love you," she blurted out. The odd twinge in her voice caught him off guard. "Not for any particular reason-felt like saying it."

"I love you too," he said, brushing his lips against hers in a chaste kiss.  
\---  
Elias was in a bad mood.

The Tulsa show went _well_ \- nothing exciting. He'd lost the fatal 5-way-again, the same old, same old.

He supposed his bad mood came from boredom. Then, he pursed his lips, shook his head and realized his problem was even simpler.

He missed Bayley.

It was the first night he'd spent alone in almost a week.

Bayley begged off coming back to his room, citing _female trouble_. Elias _wanted_ to believe her but the voice in his head made this impossible.

_She's sick of you. Having second thoughts. I don't know why you refuse to see it. Open your eyes. You need to listen to me. Capiche?_

Elias bit on his lower lip until the copper taste of blood glazed his tongue. He didn't know _why_ the voice in his head was so cruel or why it sounded like Vito Corleone from 'The Godfather'.

His phone went off, signaling a text message.

_**You busy?** _

She proved the voice wrong. Moving on...

_**How can I assist you?** _

_**Need a favor and I'm embarrassed to ask.** _

_**Ask.** _

What favor could be that bad?

 _**K. Here we go. Tampons. I need them. Can you buy them for me?** _

A cold sweat broke, covering his skin. Most thing didn't bother him. He wasn't bothered by her asking. He was more afraid of making a mistake and buying the wrong thing.

_**Hello? Did I scare you off?** _

In the grand scheme, he didn't have a choice. She needed him.

_**No. I was getting dressed. Text me your info and I'll get what you need.** _

Her response, consisting of two words, came seconds later.

 _ **Bless you.**_  
\---  
Elias was in over his head. _Buy tampons- regular flow to lite_ It sounded so easy.

Then, he realized how big the Feminine Hygiene aisle was.

_She's going to think I'm crazy. I do not want to call her and admit I have no idea what I'm doing. I got this._

A quick check of his phone told him he'd stood there for _42_ minutes.

"Buy one of everything," he mumbled, throwing boxes into his cart.

He'd tried Google first, searching _help girlfriend period_ but that didn't prove to be helpful. One website suggested ' _taking the first two days of her cycle off to be supportive._ '. Another website suggested making dinner for her and her friends. A third suggested buying chemical-free tampons. It claimed _'her vagina will thank you for keeping it chemical-free'_.

Elias didn't find any of this information helpful in the slightest. If anything, it left him more confused than before.

 _Period shaming. Be body positive. Happy vaginas. Oh Sweet Lord- why couldn't she be more specific?_ he thought. His mind swirled with thoughts as he moved towards the check out line.

He couldn't blame her for everything- he should have asked more questions.

Oh well- he needed to get back.  
\---  
"What the hell?" Bayley greeted him with a bemused look as she opened the door. "I said I needed a box or two- not buy out the whole store. Did you buy out the store?"

"Who knows? I hope your vagina's happy, despite my buying chemical filled tampons." Elias handed her the bags, stuffed with products.

"Did I hear you right?" she replied, taking the bags.  
" _Happy vaginas_?"

"I did say that. I googled supporting your girlfriend during her period. Some website suggested only buying organic so her lady parts stay happy and thank you."

Bayley burst into peals of hysterical laughter as she threw the bags to the floors. She rushed up, throwing her arms around his middle and gave him the tightest hug she could.

"I love you," she squealed, wiping the tears of her laughter from her eyes. "I freaking adore you." Her laughter lightened for a moment before growing loud once more.

"Why?" he said, blurting out the first thought he had. He didn't mean to sound stupid but her reaction seemed _bizarre_.

"Because that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. You could have called me but instead, you went above and beyond to ensure I had what I needed." Bayley grinned, squatting to sift through the bags. "Midol and chocolate chips?"

"Figured you could use some relief for pain and something sweet to get you through." He waited until she stood before pulling her close, stooping to rest his chin on her head. "Enjoy your girly stuff and chocolate."

"Enjoy? Please! You saved my ass. Want to stay?" She gazed up, her eyes hopeful as she caressed his forearm.

"You sure?" He didn't want to bother her if she wasn't feeling well.

"Yeah, I'm a little crampy but cuddling releases endorphins. Endorphins help cramps." She sighed. "Please?"

"If you insist." Elias pecked her lip, resisting the urge to laugh at the absurdity of it.

Bayley _definitely_ brought out the best in him.

He _almost_ liked it.

_Almost_

_-fin-_

**Author's Note:**

> You've read this right- multi-part!
> 
> With the match at supposedly at MSG, it made sense to make this multi-part. 
> 
> house based on this listing with some liberties of my own: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6760-Pompeii-Rd-Orlando-FL-32822/46134526_zpid/


End file.
